


love is

by ethandiesofdysentery



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Blind Character, First Date, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, blind!ethan, this is just cute as shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24105337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ethandiesofdysentery/pseuds/ethandiesofdysentery
Summary: A blind date, in the most literal sense.
Relationships: Mark Fischbach/Ethan Nestor
Comments: 7
Kudos: 169





	love is

**Author's Note:**

> you ever get smth in your head and you just gotta write it? this is that.
> 
> this is NOT REAL! im big love mika and amy and i respect these people's real life relationships.
> 
> cool? cool.
> 
> enjoy  
> -w

Ethan fidgets with the bottom of his shirt, trying to comfort himself with the familiar texture. He is acutely aware of Mika watching him, though from where, he couldn't say.

"You're _sure_ I look okay," he says, hand moving to tug at his collar instead. He rubs his finger on one of the smooth buttons. Mika says he looks good in button-ups. He is not usually inclined to trust her, but this seems innocent enough.

"Of course," his roommate says, in a way that's more or less believable. Now that she's spoken, Ethan is able to place her as standing slighty to his left.

"And this isn't another one of your jokes where you give me a terrible outfit and lie about it?" His hands move down now, skittering across his pants, which, by the texture, he places as jeans.

"Oh, c'mon, I only did that once," Mika responds. "And that was when you went on a date with Todd." She fakes throwing up in disgust. "Todd was terrible. I had to intervene. However," she continues, "I know Mark. I trust Mark. He deserves to see you looking your best."

Ethan can't stop the half-smile that works its way onto his face. "Okay," he concedes. "I believe you."

The floor creaks twice, clueing Ethan in to Mika's movement. He feels her fingers pushing his hair back, followed by a hum of approval. "So," she says after another creak signals her taking a step back. "Tell me again how he asked you out?"

Ethan groans. "What is this, exposition?"

"No," Mika promises. "I just think it's adorable." In a stage whisper, she adds, "And I think it's so funny that you fell for it."

Ethan huffs, but gives in. He secretly likes retelling the story as much as Mika likes hearing it, but he'll never give her the satisfaction of knowing that. "Fine," he says, pretending to be annoyed. "He was over here, and he told me he was looking at one of my books and wanted to know what something said."

"And you forgot Mark _knows_ how to read braille," Mika interrupts smugly.

"Hey!" Ethan complains. "This is _my_ story!" He pauses before dramatically clearing his throat and continuing. "So I said sure. But when I went to read it, what it actually said was 'do you want to go out with me'."

"Awww!" Mika coos, as if she hasn't heard this story ten times since it happened - which was literally yesterday.

"And I said yes," Ethan finishes. "So now I'm going on a date with him. Happy?"

"Yes! Very much so!" Mika gushes. Ethan hears a small intake of breath that indicates she's about to go on, but she's cut off by the doorbell ringing.

"Ethan!" she exclaims, sounding as excited as if _she_ was the one going on a date. "He's here!"

Mika grabs Ethan by the arm and drags him through the hall to the front door. Ethan wants to remind Mika that he can navigate their house perfectly fine on his own, thank you, but before he can, he's pulled to a stop. 

"Open the door," Mika whispers happily, taking a few stomping steps back, and Ethan makes sure to sigh as loud as possible before reaching out and tracing the wood of the door until he finds the knob. With a deep breath, he turns it, pulling the door inwards. 

Ethan is immediately terrified. What if this is a joke? What if it's not Mark standing on the porch in front of him? What if Mika fucked up his outfit after all? But after a moment, Mark speaks, and Ethan can calm down again.

"Oh, Ethan," he breathes out. If Ethan didn't know any better, he'd say Mark's voice was tinged with something like adoration. "You're gorgeous."

So Mika wasn't fucking with him after all. The second after he thinks this, he feels a thumbs-up being pushed into his back. He fights hard not to reach behind him and slap Mika's arm.

"You too," he replies. Maybe he can't see Mark, but he still knows this to be true. Mark is the most beautiful person in the world - and Ethan doesn't need his appearance to know that.

Some people would have said something about how Ethan couldn't possibly know that, but Mark knows better than that. "Alright, Eth," he says. "You ready to go?"

"Yes," Ethan says. "Always."

"Okay," Mika butts in, definitely ruining the moment, "you'd better bring him back in one piece. By ten. And you will absolutely not have s-"

"Okay, _mom_ ," Ethan interrupts her, feeling his face heat up. "Can I please go on my date now?"

"Of course," Mika says. "Don't do anything I would do."

Mark laughs. Ethan loves that laugh. "C'mon, Ethan," he says. "Let's go."

With that, he takes Ethan's hand gently in his, and begins to lead him out the door. Unlike with Mika, Ethan loves when Mark guides him. It makes him feel warm and fuzzy inside.

"So where are we going?" Ethan asks as Mark sits him down in the passenger seat.

Mark shuts the door of the car, and it's a moment before the driver's side door opens and slams shut again as well. Finally, Mark simply answers, "It's a surprise."

Ethan can't help but laugh. Of course it is. Mark is dramatic like that. Normally, not knowing where he's going would terrify Ethan, but it's different with Mark.

Lots of things are different with Mark.

As the car starts up with a hum, Ethan's thoughts begin to run wild. There are so many things that make Mark different. He's always been kind, never condescending towards Ethan, which is a bigger deal than it should be. He learned to read braille, despite Ethan pointing out that it was completely unnecessary. Hell, he even pitched in to pay for Ethan to get a seeing eye dog. (And sure, Spencer may be home being spoiled by Mika, rather than doing his job, but around Mark, Ethan can do just fine without him.) Mark is everything that Ethan always wished he could have - everything that, now, he does.

Ethan doesn't notice that they've stopped until Mark says, "Okay, we're here." The key turns, and the engine sputters out. (Ethan recently talked Mark down from buying a Tesla - after days spent pointing out that near-silent electric cars are a terrible hazard for people who can't see them coming, he finally won the argument.)

Ethan reaches to his right, managing to go through a minimal amount of fumbling before his hand wraps around the door handle. He pulls the handle in and pushes the door out, using the top of its frame to pull himself out of the car. As he shuts the door behind him, he hears Mark do the same.

"Okay," Mark says, his hand carefully interlocking itself with Ethan's. Ethan squeezes in response to the touch. "Any guesses?"

"Hm." Ethan turns his head in Mark's general direction, thinking. He's fairly certain there's asphalt under his feet, so this is probably a parking lot - but judging by the quiet, they're the only ones in it. All Ethan can hear is a rumbling sort of white noise, accompanied by a tangy scent.

"The ocean!" he exclaims, grinning when Mark's warm chuckle indicates that he's right.

"You got it," Mark says. He begins to pull Ethan forward, and Ethan follows with no hesitation. The ground becomes less solid and more creaky. Ethan almost trips over the gaps between the wooden slats of what must be some kind of boardwalk. The ground begins to slope gently downwards, and Ethan's shoes are just starting to crunch on something when Mark stops, and Ethan stops with him.

"Take your shoes off," Mark instructs. Ethan complies, leaning down to slip off his sneakers without letting go of Mark's hand. Mark laughs, and imitates him.

Ethan squishes his bare feet into a layer of sand atop worn wood, squeezing his toes and feeling the grains move around between them. Ethan loves textures, and sand is one of his favorites. Mark has clearly planned this well. After a moment, Mark begins to lead Ethan onto the beach itself. The layer of wood soon fades into nothing but a carpet of sand. Ethan drags his feet as Mark pulls him along, kicking sand up every which way. The warm powder grows damp beneath them, and by the time they stop, Ethan's feet are sinking into wet sand. A small wave washes over his skin, barely as deep as his ankles. Ethan can't help but giggle.

They spend a little while at peace like this, the water lapping at their feet, their hands held tightly together. Finally, Mark breaks the silence.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" Mark asks softly.

Ethan shakes his head. "Why?"

"Because the sun is setting," Mark replies. He pauses briefly, as if to let Ethan consider what he's just said. Then he goes on. "And I wanted to share it with you."

Ethan groans. "Oh god, please tell me you aren't about to try and explain colors to me. That's so fucking cliche."

Mark snorts. "No, don't worry."

"Then go ahead," Ethan says, a hint of amusement still present in his voice.

"I love the sunset," Mark begins. "Because the world is about to transition from light to dark. But right before the sun disappears, there's a moment where it shines brighter than it ever does." There's a gentle warmth in his voice that's making Ethan's stomach do somersaults. "I remember," Mark goes on, "you told me once that it makes you sad that all you can see is darkness. But Ethan, you're the light of my life." He sounds like he's about to cry, and Ethan is pretty much in the same boat. "And that," Mark goes on, "means that you're the space between. You're the place where, for a moment, the world is brighter than it's ever been."

Ethan is definitely crying now. "Mark..."

Mark takes a deep breath, then goes on. "I am so lucky to have you, Ethan. To be able to be your friend. To take you on a _date_!" When he speaks again, his breath is glancing across Ethan's cheek. "You're everything that's good in the world. You're my sunset. You're brighter than anything else in the fucking universe."

Ethan takes the cue, turning his head towards Mark's voice. Slowly, carefully, Mark leans in and presses a gentle kiss to his lips. 

They stay like that for a while, lips brushing against each other, hands woven together, cold ocean water washing over their feet as they sink ever-so-slightly deeper into the sand. It's heaven.

Eventually, Ethan pulls back, dropping his head into Mark's shoulder as they wrap their arms around each other. They sway gently, as if they're dancing to the serene rhythm of the waves. 

"I hope the earth stops moving," Ethan murmurs into Mark's shirt.

Mark laughs. "And why's that?"

Ethan smiles as he holds tighter onto Mark, leaning into him as they continue to dance to the song of the ocean. After a moment, he answers.

"Because," he replies softly, "I don't ever want the sun to set."


End file.
